Chart download question

[swatson999]

So I followed the instructions, and created the SkyViewUS folder on the memory stick, went to the website for Seattle Avionics and created an account, downloaded their app, etc., and downloaded the data using their application.  It created a separate folder called ChartData, filled it with a gazillion files, but put *nothing* into the SkyViewUS folder.

Is this correct?

 

[djones]

Yes, that is what mine did too, works just fine. I think the folder you create is just to identify the drive to the download application.

 

[dynonsupport]

Yeah, that is correct. I know it feels a bit weird, but that is the way it is supposed to work.

 

[mikehoover]

I'll try it that way too. The Seattle Avionics webpage for Macs is not that clear. They have subfolders below /ChartData/ so it is not clear. Thanks!

 

[swatson999]

Worked perfectly, and the charts look great! Thanks heaps!

Now...about those en route charts...

 

[johnsteichen]

Using the Mac page, it is unclear what the data type block on the bottom of the page is for. No explanation.
Too many steps to get the information thru the iMac.
They need a data manager for OSX.... Bad news

 

[johnsteichen]

OK I have a 16GB memory stick named SA SKYVIEW.
It has two folders ChartData and SkyViewUS
ChartData is filled with .png files
This was done on an iMac and Zipeg to unzip
I plug the memory stick into the USB socket used for downloads. I boot up Skyview, go to a big airport page, and no Chart tab appears at the top.
What am I missing here? :-/

 

[dynonsupport]

First, you can only have one USB stick plugged into a SkyView at a time, so make sure you don't have two.

Next thing to try is if you can see the USB stick at all. Go into setup with the stick plugged in, and check the first line. If it say "SYSTEM SOFTWARE (INSERT USB DRIVE)" then it doesn't see the drive. The USB stick must be formatted FAT32, so that's the first thing to try if you can't see it. It can't be NTFS or anything else.

Is chartdata filled with PNG files directly, or are they under some other directories like FG?

 

[mikehoover]

For some reason, this download operation is confusing or convoluted. There is no continuity from Dynon's instructions to Seattle Avionics' delivery system causing some users like myself difficulty where there should perhaps be none.

On the Seattle Avionics download page for Macs, there are two tables:

1. lists several files to download:
The files available for download are:

VFR Sectionals (US)
Digital ChartData (US)
IFR Approach Plates (US)
IFR Approach Plates (US)
IFR Approach Plates geo-data (US)
VFR Sectionals (Europe)

All have the same date range and password

2. lists the directories that the various files should be installed in.
There are five directories listed under the /ChartData/ director:

/ChartData/Charts/LO
/ChartData/Charts/HI
/ChartData/Charts/SEC
/ChartData/Plates
/ChartData/Plates/US

It's not entirely obvious which files go in which directories.

I also downloaded on a PC with the Data Manager. I took hours to get all "green balls" and still was a bit confusing to use. Afterwards, there are only two directories under the /ChartData/ directory. I don't have the USB drive here to say what the names of the two directories are but I think one contains Flight Guide Airport Diagrams and the other Approach Plates and Airport Diagrams since there was two check boxes for these.

Please elaborate on what data goes exactly where.

 

[hmanvel]

I'm on my third attempt to download current charts. It seems to work properly but then when I look at the charts they are expired. Plus the interface is problematic, I found that I had 3 of them running at the same time, not sure how that happened. Shut everything down, started over, downloads forever, then puts on the USB stick, but still old charts.

 

[dabear]

Using the ChartData Manager makes things very easy.  If you plug the USB card in and it has the folder SkyViewUS (SkyViewUS folder in root directory) that data manager will create and download all the data into ChartData folder (ChartData folder in root directory).

Leave the Seattle Avionics ChartData Manager (SACM) running in background and it will automatically download new charts to your PC when needed.  Best to keep it running in background during update time because downloading 4GB of data over the internet can take time.

When you plug the new USB card back into the PC SACM will check the data on the drive.  If charts expired it shows them as red.   click on download now and the USB will be upgraded to the latest charts/FG.  Depending on speed of PC, USB, and memory stick, it could take as little as 15 min to more than 25 per USB.  But remember this is about 4GB of data.

If you do it manually (for MAC); file structure looks like
ChartData
      FG (Folder)
            US (Folder) with FlightGuide data inside
            (some text/docs)
      Plates
            US (Folder)
                 all the PNG images of the approach plates in US Folder

Couple of Notes: 
1. you'll get a warning when you bring up the chart data if it is expired.  Same as the Dynon map data.  You just accept that its expired.
2. You can get multiple SACM windows if you click multiple times on the app.
3. You can't plug 2 USB's and update at the same time. Only 1 at a time.

 

[hmanvel]

I Now have a mix of plates that expire 10/17, and 9/19. I'm waiting on a reply from Seattle avionics to see if this is normal.

 

[johnsteichen]

Re: Chart download question More

Is chartdata filled with PNG files directly, or are they under some other directories like FG?

Chart data file folder is filled directly with PNG files. No other directories. 16GB Fat32 format.
Under installed databases, Charts say None and Airport diagrams says none.
Skyview recognizes the presence of the USB

Two folders show up on the drive SkyViewUS which is empty and ChartData which is filled.

 

[hmanvel]

John, mine show up in chartdata/plates/us. The airport diagrams are in chartdata/fg/us.

 

[dynonsupport]

I Now have a mix of plates that expire 10/17, and 9/19.  I'm waiting on a reply from Seattle avionics to see if this is normal.

This is normal. The FAA water-marks the charts each month with the latest date, even if the chart hasn't changed. The Seattle Avionics download saves time and bandwidth by only downloading the charts that have changed. So even though the chart is the latest and current, if it was downloaded in a previous month the date water-mark will be older. (The revision number in small type near the bottom will not have changed.)

The only solution is to download the complete data set each month. There is an option you can choose to do this.

-Dynon Support

 

[chinaone]

I downloaded the Charts on 9/16/2003 for the 30 day trial. On the 20th SkyView informed me that the charts were expired. What happened to the 30 day trial? :'(

 

[dynonsupport]

A few things are going on here:

1) Charts are on the same ARIAC 28 day cycle as all other aviation data. Thus, the data set did expire on Thursday, just like airspace data did. You need to bring the USB device to your computer and update it with fresh data.

2) We don't prevent you from using expired data, but we do warn you every boot. So you can still see the charts, but using them is like using any expired chart in your plane.

3) There was never meant to be a free 30 day trial, and we never advertised it. That was an accidental inclusion on Seattle Avionics' website for a few hours. If you got in with the trial, you got a free month of data, so you can be happy about that. You will need to pay for the data to do further updates.

 

[johnsteichen]

Re: Chart download frustration

OK is anyone else with a Mac having trouble with the crappy instructions being given by Seattle Avionics for manual loading of the chart databases. you can only read the instructions over so many times, and put the memory stick into the airplane so many times before you scream !

 

[dabear]

Ok, I'll try and help. Under the ChartData directory put two folders FG and Plates.

Under the plates directory, put a directory called US. Put all the PNG files in the US directory. Put the others (text documents, XML document, and SQLITE File) in the Plates directory.

Under the FG Directory, put a US directory with all the PNG files. In the FG directory put the Text Documents, SQLITE File, and the XML file.

In other words, each of the US directories hold the PNG files for the US data of either FG or Plates. In the FG and Plates directory are the index/information files.

Try that.

Specifically in the FG directory is:
Airports.txt
Charts.txt
Cities.txt
Plates.sqlite
Plates.txt
Plates.XML
States.txt

In the Plates directory is:
Airports.txt
Charts.txt
Cities.txt
Plates.sqlite
Plates.txt
Plates.XML
States.txt

 

[johnsteichen]

dabear
Thanks so much for your efforts to help with my issue with the SA data download.
Still not having any luck.

In the ChartData folder I have two folders: FG and Plates
In the FG folder I have 5 txt files, one plates.sqlite, one Plates.xml and a folder US. In that folder (US) are files such as OA2_FLIGHTGUIDE.png
Now in the Plates folder I have the same 5 .txt files the same .sqlite file and the plates.xml file
Then the Plates folder there is also a US folder that contains the approach plates .png files
When I put the jump drive into skyview, and call up an airport. I get displayed a single runway diagram, with no other options for approach plates. Auugg !
I repeat my request for a simple OSX chart manager if Dynon is listening.
Why is this so complicated?
Thanks again for your efforts.